If I was not going to, P. would give me a hard time, I knew that part. Well, I suppose that this is what you have to do during cold wintry days — warm the car up — so I did without complaining. Winter is definitely not looking as if it is decided to leave us any time soon, even if today the temperatures are much milder. Last week, we’ve had two good snow days, giving us good excuses to go out to snow shoe, make a snow man, cuddle up on the couch inside, and share a fabulous dinner prepared with our friends R. and J.: R. made a pumpkin flan for dessert; I prepared a risotto with an arugula side salad. I know that the days when summer humidity hits again are closer than we think, and I will be one of the first to suffer. And complain. So for now, let it be colder.

Gorgonzola, Pear and Walnut Risotto

I walked into Whole Foods and headed towards the vegetable and fruit section of the store, as I usually do without even thinking about it. It is without doubt my shopping routine: I always start with the vegetables and finish with the cheese. I like that I do not need to decide since it happens naturally from habit.

I casually tossed the vegetables I always buy in my cart: leeks, fennel bulbs, carrots, celeriac and parsnip for the vegetable broth and hachis parmentier I had planned to prepare during the week; mâche and arugula along with fresh herbs; a large paper bag of Mc Intosh apples for our freshly squeezed morning juice. As I leaned to grab a few kiwis, I suddenly caught sight of something bright and red at one corner a few stands away, in the refrigerated section where fresh berries were displayed. I looked again to be sure, feeling my cheeks turn red with excitement. This could not be. Was I really seeing what I was seeing?

They had red currants.

De belles groseilles rouges juteuses.

And a few boxes away, long red sticks were packed together: they had rhubarb too!

A smile bigger than my lips stretched my whole face but for the seconds that followed, I still tried to reason myself.

But what the heck? Was it going to be such a terrible crime? Vraiment ? My head started spinning with ideas for deliciously colorful desserts. With rhubarb on top, it would be a pure slice of heaven.

But reason seemed to affect me more than I had anticipated. I kept hearing “you cannot buy these unseasonal fruit” in my ears.

I moved on and tried to finish my shopping trip, but the sight of the bright juicy fruit kept coming back to me, making me forget other things to buy. Well, it would not be that bad, would it? See, I didn’t believe that someone would blame me for buying a little box of deliciously summery looking red currants and a few sticks of rhubarb. They were guaranteed to bring a beam of sunshine in the kitchen and make P. and I cheerier as we would taste a lovely dessert comfortably seated on the couch that evening.

Forget about reason!

I zoomed back to the area where I had caught sight of my treasure, hoping that no one else would have the same idea, hence leaving me with nothing. But it seemed that I was the only one with this summer fruit urge since there were plenty left. I hesitated between grabbing two, but eventually settled for one. I could always come back if I needed to.

Back home a few hours later, I set myself to work quickly. I surely had been inspired!

The first dessert I made was a red berry and rhubarb crumble I will tell you about later.

Red Currant, Raspberry and Rhubarb Nut Crumble

The second one was red currant and almond teacakes, the very ones I would easily pack with us on a hike or for a picnic with friends at the beach.

These cakes use white rice and almond flours, and only egg whites instead of the whole eggs — a nice option for any egg white leftovers. They are flavored with lemongrass and vanilla, and have poppy seeds in them for added crunchiness. I use my coffee grinder to chop the lemongrass as finely as possible, but a nut grinder will work too. The cakes are quick to prepare and light in texture: in short, a real success in my book.

Did I feel guilty?

Alors là, mais pas du tout ! (not at all!)

In fact, instead, I decided to close my eyes and imagine for a second that I was lying under the cherry tree after a fabulous picnic, smelling the freshly cut grass and feeling the sea breeze brush against my skin. Oh let me tell you, I cannot wait for those times to happen soon again.

79 comments

I’m always happy for it to stay cool. I don’t think I’d have held out as long as you, I’d have put them in the basket at the first pass.
Red Currant, Raspberry and Rhubarb Nut Crumble: now that looks incredible!!

The cakes look wonderful!!! I love red currants and poppy seeds. They must taste delicious in a cake together. I would love to try the recipe. Sadly, I’ll have to wait till summer as currants are not available here at this time of the year:(

I can certainly identify with your struggle whether to purchase “out of season” produce. My husband thinks I’m nuts when I refuse to buy something in winter that is shipped in from a warmer foreign country! Sometimes you have to just go with your passion and who knows, spring may be here before you know it!

Bravo! Bea, those are beautiful cakes. I know too well the feeling of craving for out of season goods at the supermarket. I also try to be reasonable which means sometimes I refrain from buying and sometimes I don’t!

The presentation of the almond poppyseed tea cakes are so beautiful and not forgetting inspiring! I know that they are delicious because your attention to detail shows it! I have been dabbling with gluten- free recipes as well and even the baking powder I use is gluten-free. When I eat gluten-free, I feel really good and not that heavy sinking feeling where the wheat is concerned.

Bea, I think I know where you got the molds for your cakes:) So lovely and i love the flavor combinations! It’s warming up over here; hopefully soon you won’t have to wait for your car to warm up either!

Beautiful, beautiful photographs and a lovely story too. The recipe is almost an extra bonus on top. I was similarly inspired by the smell of fresh strawberries recently at the grocery store. I think we’re all ready to put this freakish winter behind us.

But, rhubarb is in season now (here in UK) and I guess that redcurrants are in season somewhere, too. And let’s face it, we all need a lift now and then and what better way to do it than with delicious and beautiful food?

oh my goodness — one store near me has rhubarb this time of year, and i drool over it every time i go in! but i keep resisting, thinking that i will have plenty of rhubarb experiments when it makes it way to the farmer’s market… but i should stop listen to that buy-seasonally internal voice too! 🙂

I came across your website by accident and so far have enjoyed every bit of it. I especially enjoyed your food styling and food photography as I lack in these two areas (take a look at my website and you’ll see). Good luck and keep up the good work.

Wow, many many thanks for stopping by! Glad to hear you enjoy the cakes, and that I am not the only one to give in to the temptation. Totally right, it makes us our days cheerier, and that is pretty something, non?

Today I made them…and I think the cakes are better with all -purpose flour instead than rice flour. The cakes with rice flour taste a litle weird for me. For my boyfriend the cakes with rice flour taste great! He love it!

Wonderful! The teacakes drew me in–what a hook! This is exactly the type of year we all want spring, regardless of what the weather is doing–what a delightful way to bring it on, than with all of these vibrant goodies and tart, fresh flavors!

I love the colors, and the fact that the cakes must be so light from only egg whites. I’m trying to figure out how to use lemongrass in a dessert for easter (I’m doing a Southeast Asian menu); you’re giving me some ideas!

Hi!
I was wondering where you can buy the molds for that teacake shape?

Thanks so much for sharing your lovely recipes 🙂 I just got a small box of red currants as a gift from my coworker because I was talking about how lovely they are but I never see them at grocery stores! I’m super excited to try one of your recipes with them! 🙂

Béatrice Peltre is a food writer, stylist and photographer working out of her home studio in Boston.
She is a regular contributor to the Boston Globe Food Section, and her work has appeared in many publications
such as Saveur, Food and Wine, Whole Living, Fine Cooking, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, the Huffington Post,
the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Edible Boston, Living France, the New York Times Diner’s Journal,
and in many other international magazines.